SPRINGFIELD — Illinois education officials are warning school administrators to prepare for even less state funding for the next fiscal year.

The Illinois State Board of Education is telling school districts to prepare to receive about 85 percent of the normal general state aid payments for the fiscal year that begins in July, according to a report by the Springfield Bureau of Lee Enterprises newspapers.

This year, qualifying districts are getting 89 percent of the money, the newspaper reported.

“As you put together your projections, please be very conservative,” said ISBE spokesman Matt Vanover.

“We received similar messages from state Superintendent (Christopher) Koch a few years ago, which was the premise for the $41 million deficit budget,” Lewis said. “The proposed reductions never came to pass.”

Robert Willis, former Rockford interim superintendent and current Meridian School District interim superintendent, said school leaders have learned to budget conservatively and take news from Springfield with a grain of salt.

“With EAV’s continuing to decline, the state prorating aid to schools, federal dollars being flat, schools must rely on their local communities. They are the only ones with a true interest in children,” Willis said. “They’re not politicking to keep or gain control of any portion of the General Assembly. ... During political campaigns, everyone talks about the children and how we need to be there for them. Once elected, political leaders herd them like sheep into silos to protect the powerful.”

State law requires education officials to spend at least $6,119 a student. While local districts contribute money for the base amount, the state makes up the rest, especially for poorer school districts with limited property tax revenue to boost their budgets.

Projections show that school districts in the state could qualify for as much as $200 million more in the general aid money, which prompted the ISBE to issue the warning about further cuts.